Kindled Love
by Kagami Kyoji
Summary: Inspired by Girlfriend of Steel. Shinji meets a girl, and life would never be the same ever...Set in anime continuity. Please RnR! Update: Chapter 13 up!
1. Boy Meets Girl

Note: I do NOT own anything here.

Ikari Shinji shifted uneasily as he carried his bag, along with Asuka's and Rei's. Today, school would not be the same, and it was not because of his loss in a game of rock, paper & scissors with the girls (the resulting forfeit being carrying their stuff for them). His mind wandered back to the night before. Both he and Asuka saw this huge... thing roaming around Tokyo-3 (To be more exact, it was moving through a relatively deserted place.). As they stood at the balcony, he said something stupid. Well, at least he thought so, for Asuka gave him a kick which sent him flying back into the house. All he could recall was that the fiery girl was naked (having emerged from the shower to look at the huge creature). Maybe, that's why he couldn't remember what he had said...

Anyway, earlier on, they saw a set of large footprints on their way to school. Even Asuka couldn't figure out what could have possibly made the marks, other than the thought that it definitely had something to do with the monster they had seen. Shinji gave a soft sigh. Battling Angels was already a tall order; what could it be this time?

At school, Asuka snatched her bag from the "porter" (without a word of thanks) and proceeded to join Hikari for the day's gossip. Rei silently took hers and went to her seat. Kensuke and Touji walked up to Shinji.

"So, what did you do this morning? You look terrible," remarked Touji. Kensuke nodded in agreement.

"It's.. a long story."

"Then, save it. Today, it seems that we have a new student joining us."

"Eh? A new face in OUR class," exclaimed Asuka as the class monitoress told her the same thing.

"It's a girl, apparently," added Hikari. The boys overheard her comment.

"Well, if it's a girl, let's hope that she'll be better-tempered than Soryu here," pointed Touji disdainfully. Asuka rolled up her sleeves. She would give this monkey a good thrashing on the spot. Touji cracked his knuckles in return. He, too, wanted to send a certain girl to the sick bay as well.

Luckily, the form teacher walked into the class. As Hikari called for everyone to rise, the students scrambled back to their seats. After the greeting, the old man cleared his throat.

"Class, today, we have a new student joining us. Please put your hands together and welcome her."

As the girl walked into the room, the boys (including Shinji) gasped. Although she's not a dazzling beauty like Asuka, she was cute-looking, to say the least. Asuka instantly sulked. She hated any girl who could gather other people's attention so quickly. The young lady proceeded to write her name on the blackboard.

"Ohayo! My name is Kirishima Mana!" Even her voice sounded gentle. However, that was the end of the introduction. The form teacher stood in front of the class.

"Mana is a transfer student here. As such, I hope all of you will look out for her, the way you did when Asuka first joined us. Here's your seat."

Shinji blinked in disbelief. The teacher was pointing at the seat next to his. Touji and Kensuke wanted to pound their friend. What was with Shinji and kawaii girls? If the newcomer saw Shinji's embarrassed face, she didn't mind it. She sat down at her place.

"What's your name," asked the girl softly. Shinji sat up straight. Her voice suddenly reminded him of something. Exactly what it was, he couldn't tell.

"Ikari, Ikari Shinji," came the shy reply. The boy was surprised by his own quick response.

"Ikari-kun, you look cute," said Mana with a smile. Shinji blushed. Asuka observed the pair from her place. Despite herself, her anger was rising. To make matters worse, during class, Mana frequently turned to her neighbour for help. Being an average student himself (although Touji would disagree), Shinji had a tough time trying to help her. Curiously, he was actually enjoying himself.

The bell rang. After the teacher had left, Mana thanked Shinji for his help. Kensuke and Touji then whisked him away to another part of the classroom.

"Alright, out with it. Are you interested in her," whispered Touji in a mock serious tone.

"Wha...?" Shinji was in a daze. He had never imagined himself falling in love with anyone. Some fantasies, maybe... but a serious relationship? No way.

"Shinji, why do you always get the girls? First, Misato-san's your guardian. Then, Asuka's your colleague. Now,..." pointed out Kensuke. Shinji had no answer to that.

As the boys questioned Shinji, Mana decided to talk to the other girls.

"You must be Horaki Hikari. Sensei asked me to look for you should I encounter any problems."

"Well, I'm the class monitoress. Feel free to ask me anything!" Hikari blushed. Not only was Mana cute, she was courteous as well. If only I could be like her, thought Hikari. Mana then turned towards Asuka.

"And you are..."

"Soryu Asuka Langley," replied the EVA pilot in a huff. Her appearance reminded her of that "doll", Ayanami. What's worse was that Mana's hair colour was similar to her own. Mana extended her hand. Asuka was loath to shake it, but she realised that Hikari was watching. Some acting would be in order here, she thought as she shook the hand.

"I'll deal with you some other time," said Asuka under her breath as the newcomer approached Rei.

Rei looked up at Mana. Mana smiled at the quiet girl.

"What's your name?"

Something in Mana's voice jolted Rei.

"Ayanami Rei," came the soft reply after a while.

"You should cheer up a bit. A little fun and laughter never hurts anyone," winked Mana as she walked over to Shinji.

"Here she comes," warned Touji as he let go of Shinji. The two then discreetly stepped away from Shinji.

"Ikari-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Would you introduce me to your friends?"

"Well..." Shinji tried hard not to be awkward around Mana; clearly, it wasn't working. The boy even had this odd feeling creeping up in his heart.

"I'm Suzuhara Touji! And this, is Aida Kensuke!" Touji decided to save Shinji from further blushing. As Mana smiled sweetly at the two, they were reminded of their friend's luck with women.

"Ikari-kun, can I follow you around after school? I need someone to show me around."

"What?" Shinji tried hard not to sound shocked. He needed to visit NERV after school. Guess I would have to shake her off somehow, thought the boy as he agreed to the request.

Afterthoughts

-Mana is NOT my original character. She's by Gainax and can be found in the game "Girlfriend of Steel". I have never played the game in question. Also, this fic will NOT follow the game exclusively.

-This fic is set in between the appearance of Iruel and Leliel in the anime. Obviously, the lull period between the Angels will be extended.  
-For those of you who have never played the game before, Mana is voiced by Hayashibara Megumi. Hence, the shocks that Shinji and Rei had.

-Please RnR! 


	2. Things aren't quite what they seemed

"Ikari-kun, where are we going," asked Mana. As it turned out, Shinji didn't have the heart to leave her alone. They were on their way to NERV. He made up his mind to ask her to leave on the stroll to HQ.

"Ikari-kun, where are we heading?" Mana repeated her question after they had gotten off the train. Shinji took a deep breath. His schoolbag seemed to become heavier by the minute.

"I'm sorry, Mana. You can't follow me any further."

"Why," asked the girl innocently.

"I'm going to my... workplace. Strangers are not allowed there."

"Oh... Can't you just bend the rules this time?"

"I..." He found it difficult to say "no".

"Please?" Her soft plea worked. Shinji took her hand. Although a little surprised by the action, Mana kept quiet.

"If you tag along, you'll have to follow behind closely. It's better that I hold your hand. An outsider could easily get lost inside," explained Shinji. Mana nodded.

Upon entering the complex, Mana gasped. NERV's HQ was intimidating, at least to a 14 year-old like her.

"This is where I work. Now, follow behind closely," reminded Shinji. As the pair navigated the maze-like passageways, Mana wondered what the boy's job really was. Suddenly, their schoolbags looked very out-of-place.

Before they reached the changing room, Shinji swallowed hard. Katsuragi Misato was there, waiting for him. The lady stared at Mana.

"Shinji-kun, who's this girl? You know very well that non-NERV personnel are not allowed inside here."

NERV, thought Mana. Not forgetting her manners, she introduced herself as Kirishima Mana, Shinji's classmate.

"It wasn't Ikari-kun's fault. I insisted on following him," added the girl. Despite her displeasure, Misato couldn't bring herself to scold the pair. It's good that Shinji had other friends. 

"Mana-chan, I'll get someone to escort you out of here. And don't tell anyone that you've ever been here, please."

"I understand, Madam," replied the girl, bowing at the same time. After she had left them (and escorted by two agents), Misato looked at her ward.

"She must have been a special friend," reasoned the lady. Given Shinji's character, he wouldn't have dared to bring Kensuke or Touji into NERV, let alone someone whom she had never seen before.

"Actually, she's a new student at the school. Today's her first day in town," explained Shinji. Special friend? He gave the term some thought...

"Is that so?" Misato's suspicions were aroused. As head of operations, it was her job to keep spies and other undesirable people out of NERV. A new kid in town finding her way into HQ? Something was going on. But, for now, there were other more important things.

"Hurry up and get dressed. We're late for the tests."

Within the office of the Commander of NERV...

Ikari Gendoh was playing "shogi" with his deputy. There was something weighing on his friend's mind, and it showed in his moves.

"Ikari, this latest project by the government..."

"They just don't give up, do they? Nothing can ever replace the EVAs." Gendoh couldn't resist a smile. Fuyutsuki was worrying unduly. He, as head of NERV, would ensure that any possible rivals were scrapped before they made it to the operational stage. Fuyutsuki was unconvinced.

"They tested the machine last night, right here in Tokyo-3."

"I know. Let them have their fun, for now. Checkmate." Kozo looked at his game. Ikari had everything under control, and he didn't even realise that.

"Let's hope that your calculations are this good in operations as well, Ikari."

Outside NERV HQ...

After being dropped off at the nearest train station, Mana heaved a sigh of relief. At least, they had not suspected her of being up to no good. She hated herself for using Shinji like this, but it was the fastest way to accomplish her mission. She only hoped that she wouldn't fall for the boy, or vice versa...

Afterthoughts

-A short chapter here, more to come later.

-Please RnR! 


	3. Warmth

The next morning, as the EVA pilots walked to school, Asuka noticed some subtle changes about "baka" Shinji. His steps seemed to be a little lighter. Heck, he even had his earphones on. Asuka pouted her lips. Ikari Shinji was slowly getting on her nerves, along with that "mechanical doll" (her private nickname for Mana).

In class, Mana greeted the trio the moment they entered the room. However, it soon became clear that the person she wanted to chat with was Shinji.

"Sorry about yesterday. Did you get into any trouble?"

"Baka Shinji, what did you do yesterday, by the way," questioned Asuka. Actually, she knew his schedule by heart. The only place where he could possibly mess up in, was at HQ.

"Well... can we discuss this later?" Shinji tried to wriggle his way out of this tight spot. By then, Rei had already settled down at her place.

"Even if you don't spit it out now, I could always guess it myself..." She then dropped her voice to a whisper.

"You took her to NERV, didn't you?" Shinji nodded reluctantly.

"Back at home, you are going to get it from me," threatened the young lady. What made Shinji cringe was the sweet tone she made her threat in. Whenever Asuka spoke like that, he would wish that he hadn't crossed paths with the girl. He sat down at his seat.

"Are you alright, Ikari-kun?" Mana had noticed his pale face.

"Ya, I guess. Mana, could you follow me to the rooftop during recess? I think I owe you an explanation." Mana agreed to the request. As the lesson began, some of the students let out a collective groan; it was time for essay writing.

Shinji tried to make sense of the topic which their teacher had written on the blackboard. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Mana writing away.

"You must be good at this," whispered the boy.

"It's nothing unusual. My mother was an editor of a magazine," replied Mana humbly.

"Was?" Shinji's curiousity was aroused.

"She passed away two years ago." The girl's voice became slightly shaky.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

As the two resumed their work, Shinji wished that he had Mana's skills when it came to organizing his thoughts. He didn't even know where to begin for his explanation later.

At the rooftop...

Shinji took a deep breath. It was the first time he was telling a girl (and outsider at that) his secret. The question is, how do you tell that to someone who had never seen an Evangelion before? His furious thinking during class came up with nothing...

"You need my help, as always, Baka Shinji!"

"Asuka, what are you..." The girl ignored his protests.

"Both Shinji and I are EVA pilots, and we save Earth from total destruction on a regular basis," said Asuka proudly.

"What's an EVA," asked Mana. Asuka's smile widened.

"They are gigantic robots, that's what they are." Mana turned towards Shinji. Despite his misgivings, he nodded his agreement. The description was good enough for a layman like Mana.

"The place we went to yesterday, was our HQ," added Shinji. Mana bowed her head.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much distress, Ikari-kun."

"It's nothing, really,"replied Shinji politely. Asuka wanted to box the pair, but she told herself to calm down.

"Since my part's done, see the two of you in class!" After she had (apparently) left, Mana asked the boy some other questions.

"Who else knows about this in our class?"

"Among the boys, I guess only Touji and Kensuke know about it as well. For the girls, Hikari may have heard something from Asuka. Oh, and Rei's one of the pilots too." Only when Shinji stopped his monologue did he realise that he was being very frank with Mana, and it was only the second day she was here...

"Gee, I never knew you guys have such a big secret," teased Mana. Shinji blushed.

"Come. We should go back now. Mind if I hold your hand?"

"What?" The boy was a little stunned by the request.

"It felt so warm yesterday when I held it..." Mana blushed as she recalled the incident.

As the pair held their hands for the first time, Asuka (who had been spying on them) wanted to explode. She quickly walked down the stairs back to the class...

Touji gave a loud yawn. School was finally over for the day.

"Kensuke, you wanna hang out today?"

"Sure! By the way, do you think Shinji would join us?"

"50-50. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to get a date with Mana. Let's find out." The friends walked over to Shinji, who was chatting with Mana.

"Shinji, are you busy after school," asked Touji. 

"I promised to show her around Tokyo-3. Sorry." Touji gave Kensuke a I-told-you-so look.

"In that case, we wouldn't disturb you two. Have fun," teased the boys. Asuka got so worked up that she snapped her pencil in two...

As the couple walked through town, Shinji pointed out the shops and their specialty wares. He was enjoying himself. He had never experienced such joy in his life before. Ever since his mother disappeared, everything had seemed so bleak, dark. As he chatted and laughed with Mana, he hoped that he wasn't boring her.

On Mana's part, she, too, enjoyed Shinji's company. Although it was all part of the mission, she didn't require any acting so far. Ikari Shinji had been an interesting boy; she had never "clicked" with someone that quickly before. The hours seemed to pass by when they were together...

"Oh no, look at the time! I'll have to go back now," exclaimed Shinji.

"You go ahead. I'll need to get back home as well."

"Should I see you home first?" Mana shook her head.

"I'll be fine on my own."

"In that case, goodbye! See you tommorrow," called out the boy as he ran in the direction of the train station. As Mana watched him, she was happy, yet worried, at the same time. How would he respond when he eventually knew her secret?

Earlier on...

Asuka was sulking all the way on the train. Hikari wanted to ask her the reason, but decided not to. When she got to the apartment, she noticed a pair of women shoes outside.

"My, my. What's wrong, Asuka," asked Misato as the younger girl entered the living room.

"You're early today, Misato." Asuka avoided the question.

"Well, I need a break every now and then. Can't really stare at Ritsuko all the time now, can I," explained the older lady as she sipped on a can of beer. "That baka Shinji, he's staring at a girl as we speak," huffed Asuka. Misato sat up straight.

"Mana-chan?"

"You saw her before?" Misato nodded.

"Shinji-kun took her to NERV yesterday."

"Today, he even told her our secret!" Asuka noticed Misato's face. Then, she herself realised what was wrong with the picture.

"A new transfer student knowing so much about us in just two days? Something's fishy." The NERV officer stroked her chin.

"You need my help, Misato?"

"Keep an eye on Shinji-kun. I'll not allow NERV's security to be compromised because of his love affair!"

"Consider it done!"

"You ARE jealous of Mana-chan, aren't you," winked Misato.

"Who's jealous of her? She looks like Ayanami with my hair colour on. That's a gross combination, if you ask me!" Asuka stuck out her tongue. Misato laughed at the funny sight. Jokes aside, the lady gave her problem another thought. Perhaps, Kaji could have a talk with the boy. She never really understood men when it comes to relationships...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	4. Advice

The third day of Mana's arrival saw more developments on all fronts. Touji and Kensuke realised that Shinji was serious this time round. As they placed their bets on how long the relationship would last ("Just this week," declared Touji.), Asuka watched the couple from the sides. Her jealousy had given way to intrigue. What could Mana be possibly up to?

At HQ, Misato had already briefed Kaji about her little problem.

"So, Shinji's found himself a date." The man couldn't resist a dig at the boy. After being surrounded by a few beautiful women, the kid had fallen in love with an outsider instead.

"I hope he doesn't get cheated. The way I see it, the girl's only using him." Misato was not so optimistic.

"We'll see. The hands of fate work in mysterious ways at times."

"Just remember to talk to him, ok," reminded Misato.

"I got ya."

At the Commander's office...

"The Trident Project," asked Gendoh. Akagi Ritsuko nodded. Behind Ikari, Fuyutsuki was reminded of his own warning.

"It's actually quite similar to what we're having here, Commander. If we don't do something fast..." cautioned Ritsuko.

"Have our men keep an eye on the whole thing. Report to me if anything happens."

"Ikari.." Kozo wanted to say something.

"Fuyutsuki." The tone of the younger man's voice was enough to silence the deputy commander.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." As the female professor left the room, Ikari looked at the data file in front of him. He began flipping through the pages...

Outside the EVA pilots' changing area...

Shinji stepped out of the room, beaming. The thought of Mana trying to engage Rei in class activities brought a smile to his lips. Mana cared for his friends, as well as himself. Where do you find a girl like that? Then, his pessimistic self took over. What if it was all just a dream? Or that Mana was just faking everything?

"Looks like love can indeed change someone," said a familliar voice. Its owner was leaning against the wall, a can of coffee in his hand.

"Kaji-san..."

"Since you blushed, I take it that Misato was telling the truth. How did you do it," asked Ryoji.

"We... sort of... got along," answered Shinji shyly. His self-doubts took a back seat in his mind.

"Have you two kissed yet," teased Kaji as he bought the boy a can of coffee. Shinji shook his head furiously as the two sat down on a bench nearby. 

"Take it from me, young man. Treasure this relationship."

"I don't know if this is even love, Kaji-san. I've never experienced anything like it in my life before." Shinji remembered the days before Mana.

"Be true to yourself, that's my advice. Even if it's only puppy love, don't deny it. One grows up through such experiences." Kaji looked at the young boy.

"You've always been afraid of the unknown, I guess. Everyone has that fear, so put it aside and go for it." Shinji was slightly spellbounded by the older man's words. It was as if he was speaking from his own experience...

"Kaji-san," greeted an energetic female voice.

"Asuka! How were the tests today?"

"Everything's fine, except that this baka seemed distracted all the time," complained the girl.

"Well, you would be too, if you fell in love."

"Fall in love? This idiot? Give me a break, Kaji-san! If he can get a date, I must be going steady with you already!"

"Leave me out of the picture, young lady," scolded Kaji half-jokingly. He was aware of the girl's crush on her.

"Whatever. Come on, let's go," ordered Asuka, gesturing towards Shinji.

As the pilots walked off, Kaji remembered Misato's words. He sighed. Time for investigations again, he thought...

Meanwhile, at Mana's home...

The girl was going through the data she had gathered so far. Not for the first time, she wished that Shinji wasn't an EVA pilot. As for her role, she could not have escaped from it.

A knock came on the door. Wondering who it could be, she went to receive her guest. A slim, tall man was standing outside.

"Father," she cried as she hugged the man.

"Can I come in," asked Kirishima Naoki. He knew that his daughter was staying by herself.

Over tea, both father and daughter were silent, although they had so much to say to each other. Naoki knew that it had been hard on the girl. Ever since his wife passed away two years ago, Mana had been taking care of herself. As for Naoki, he was busy at the laboratory. Even when his wife was still around, he didn't have much time to spend with them.

When Mana knew about the project her father was involved in, she volunteered to help him in any way she could. The girl became a spy, and was sent to a school in Tokyo-3, where the EVA pilots studied. Mana was gentle, kind, just like her mother. For her to do something like this... Naoki didn't know what possessed him to accept her help. Then again, he wasn't in charge of the overall workings of the project. He was merely the head scientist.

"Father, I don't know what to do," began Mana.

"Oh?"

"I like this boy. He's an EVA pilot; what I am doing now..." Mana was close to tears.

"Between love and duty, sometimes, it is difficult to make a choice. Follow your heart. Only it can show you the way," said Naoki as he sat next to Mana. The girl hugged her father. As she sobbed lightly, the father felt guilty, for he himself had not followed his own words. Much as he wanted to leave his job, it was the only thing he knew. There was another fact he knew. As he stroked Mana's short hair gently, he told himself that he would not allow his little girl to come to any harm because of him...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	5. First Steps

The next morning, school was the usual for Shinji: lots of fun with Mana, and teasing from his clique. Asuka was still watching her target from the shadows. So far, Mana had not done anything suspicious yet. If you were really up to something, I would find the evidence, she thought.

During recess, Touji and Kensuke dragged their friend to a corner of the classroom. They had something in mind for Mana.

"Shinji," whispered Kensuke.

"What is it?"

"Why don't we host a party for Mana? After all, she's been here for four days already," reasoned the bispectacled teen.

"Good idea, but which venue can we use," asked Shinji. The other boys gave him a funny look. He realised what they were thinking about.

"You guys just want to see Misato-san again, right?"

"Well, considering that Mana's your girlfriend..." began Touji.

"She isn't," hissed Shinji. If they had been on the rooftop, he would gladly shout into his friend's ear.

"Regardless, your place's the best choice," insisted Touji. Shinji sighed. He decided to drop a message in the handphone mailbox of his guardian.

"Mana, would you mind if we throw a party for you at my place," asked Shinji, blushing in the process.

"A party? That would be great! Thank you, Ikari-kun!"

"A party!" Asuka had overheard the conversation. She stomped over to Shinji's side.

"Baka Shinji, what's this party all about?"

"Well, we are thinking of having a welcome party for Mana at our apartment..."

"WHAT," screamed the girl at the top of her voice. The whole class was now looking at her. Realising the attention which she had drawn to herself, she grabbed Shinji by the collar and pulled him to a corner.

"You want a party for her!" Asuka resisted pointing a finger at Mana. Shinji's handphone rang. He checked the device.

"Even Misato-san has agreed to it, and she has invited Kaji-san as well," said Shinji triumphantly, waving his phone in front of Asuka. The girl stared at the screen in disbelief. She decided to let it go...

Meanwhile, at NERV HQ...

Misato and Kaji had been discussing about the information they had dug up between the two of them. Kirishima Mana was definitely not what she appeared to be. When Shinji's message reached the major, she decided to take the opportunity to study the girl upfront. Kaji lit a cigarette. Although he had his doubts over Mana's role, he was fond of Shinji. If the girl had befriended him simply because he was an EVA pilot, he would not let her off easily...

After school...

The teens (except Asuka) hopped down to the local store for the foodstuffs. Besides Mana and Shinji, Touji, Kensuke and Hikari offered their help. As it turned out, Asuka made the right choice; Misato and Kaji were already in the apartment, preparing for the party. Since they were alone, the adults filled Asuka in on the details. After gasping, the girl quickly nodded her agreement to participate in the little plan for the night...

"Look! Kaji-san and Misato-san are already inside," observed Shinji as he fished for his pass to open the door.

"Not to mention that grouch, Asuka," sighed Touji. A stare from the class monitoress was enough to shut him up.

"Oh! You guys are here," greeted Misato as the door opened. Kaji and Asuka were already seated on the floor (the table being the "low" type). The electric grill had been heated up, and was ready for use.

"Kombanwa! I'm Kirishima Mana," said Mana as she bowed to Kaji. The man stood up to receive the greeting.

"So, you're Mana-chan. My name is Kaji Ryoji." Kaji took a look at the girl.

"You are quite beautiful."

"Thank you, Kaji-san." Mana blushed at the compliment.

"Don't listen to his nonsense, Mana-chan. He's a womanizer. Anyway, I believe I did not introduce myself when we first met. I'm Katsuragi Misato." The lady extended her hand towards Mana.

"She's a major too," blurted Kensuke from behind. 

"It's my pleasure to meet you again, Major Katsuragi," said Mana as she shook the hand warmly. She passed the first test, thought Misato.

"Well, I'm sure everyone's hungry. Shall we begin," suggested Touji.

As the party went on, there was much merry-making. The adults toasted Mana with beer, while the teenagers had their fill of fruit juice. It didn't take too long before most of them were knocked out on the floor. Shinji and Mana, having spent their time chatting instead of gorging themselves, looked at the unconscious crowd with amusement. Mana decided to go to the balcony. As Shinji followed her, Asuka got up silently. Kaji and Misato emerged from the kitchen (Misato had pretended that she needed to puke after all the beer she had downed. Kaji, of course, was to help her clean up).

The three tried to listen in on the conversation at the balcony.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it," asked Mana. Shinji nodded.

"I've never observed the stars like this in a long time," added the girl. Shinji was acutely aware that they were alone. The light breeze brushed across them. As Mana's short hair fluttered in the wind, Shinji gulped. He decided to try something daring: he put his hand across her shoulders.

After her initial surprise, Mana smiled at the boy, and leaned against him. The two stood still, enjoying the view of the stars, and a full moon. From her hiding place, Asuka wanted to go up to the couple and tear them away from each other; the adults advised against it. Kaji beckoned the ladies to follow him to the kitchen.

"This is not good. Shinji is completely smitten by her," declared Ryoji as he lit a cigarette.

"She's not a bad person," observed Misato.

"Mana's just pretending," said Asuka, trying hard to keep her volume down.

"If she's such a good actress, she certainly will make a good spy. My bet is that right now, she's asking herself if she should abandon this assignment," said Kaji. The ladies stared at him.

"Mana's in love with Shinji, no doubt about that."

True to Kaji's words, Mana was at a loss. As she leaned against Shinji, she realised that she needed him. However, if she continued her spying, he would be hurt. But for now, she decided to cherish this moment. She closed her eyes...

When Mana opened them again, it was daybreak. She found herself in a strange bedroom (fully clothed, mind you), a blanket covering her. She got up and went to the living room. Shinji was already up, preparing a simple breakfast of bread, butter and milk.

"Ah, you are awake. You fell asleep here yesterday night. Misato-san thought that it would be better for you to stay in the apartment overnight, instead of taking you home, no least because we have no idea where you lived."

"I'm sorry, Ikari-kun," bowed Mana. She had troubled him too many times already.

"Mana, call me Shinji. We're friends, aren't we," winked Shinji.

"Shinji-kun... Needs some getting used to," said Mana with a laugh. She joined the boy at the table...

Meanwhile, on the short stroll to school...

Asuka thought hard about what had happened the night before. To her horror, Misato decided to let Mana stay at the apartment. The envy she felt when Shinji gave up his room for the "stranger" (and opted for the living room) was threatening to eat her alive. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, and made up her mind.

"Kirishima Mana, I will expose you. Mark my words," said the girl through gritted teeth.

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	6. The Love Blossoms

"Oh dear, I hope Asuka doesn't mind me wearing her uniform," said Mana on the way to school. Due to her stayover, she had to do some "borrowing" without permission. Although it wasn't a perfect fit, it would have to do.

"Don't worry. I'll handle her," said Shinji confidently. If Asuka decided to make a fuss over this, he would had it out with her.

"I had a great time yesterday night, Shinji-kun. Thank you!"

"It wasn't my idea, actually. Isn't that Ayanami," pointed Shinji. The couple then hurried their steps to catch up with the blue-haired girl.

"Ohayo, Rei-chan," greeted Mana. Rei stopped and turned around to see who it was.

"Ohayo." Her voice was slightly warmer than before, thought Shinji. 

"Shinji, why isn't Asuka with you?" Another first; Rei had never initiated a conversation before, if Shinji's memory didn't fail him.

"She left the apartment before Mana and I did," explained Shinji. Rei's expression convinced him to elaborate further.

"We had a welcome party for Mana yesterday night, and she fell asleep at our place."

"Oh." The girl resumed her walk. As the three students made their way to school, Shinji couldn't help but feel that the two girls had something in common. Maybe it was their short hair; maybe, it was their voice. Maybe...

At school earlier on...

"Kensuke, red alert. Red alert," whispered Touji to Kensuke as a certain EVA pilot stormed into the classroom. Kensuke nodded his agreement. With her in such a foul mood, it would be best to stay far away.

"Asuka, what's wrong," asked Hikari.

"Nothing," snapped Asuka. Wrong answer. If she was rude even to the monitoress, something was definitely going on.

"Do you think it has something to do with Mana staying overnight at their place?" Touji tried to keep his voice as soft as he could. When the students left (with Kaji escorting Hikari), he remembered that one girl was missing from the group.

"Could be," replied Kensuke. By instinct, Asuka turned and glared at the duo. Time to shut up.

As Rei and the couple walked into the class, Asuka clenched her fist underneath her desk. Today, one way or another, she would make Mana pay for spying on NERV. However, she was caught off-guard when the girl in question ended up beside her.

"What do you want?" Despite Asuka's hostile tone, it would only be polite to let her know of the "borrowing", thought Mana.

"I just want to thank you. I borrowed your uniform for today."

That was the boiling point. The girl stood up and grabbed Mana's collar. Shinji rushed over to them.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY," roared Asuka. After snatching away the boy, you want my clothes as well, she thought.

"Asuka, let go of her," cried Shinji.

"Why should I? No one touches MY clothes without MY permission!"

"I said, 'Let go of her!'" The boy gave Asuka a massive shove, which sent her crashing to the floor. She stood up immediatly, and marched menacingly towards Shinji. When she closed in on him, without thinking, the boy gave her a tight slap across her face. There was an audible gasp from those who witnessed the whole thing. Clutching her cheek, she gave the boy a murderous stare. Surprisingly, Shinji had no fear in his heart this time.

"Have you had enough?"

"You slapped me because of her," asked Asuka.

"Serves you right for making such a fuss out of a uniform!"

"It's not just the uniform! She's..." Asuka bit her lip. She then bolted for the door. Once outside, the tears flowed, despite her vow never to cry again. She needed someone, after all.

"Shinji-kun, shouldn't you..."

"She'll be fine. Are you alright?" Mana nodded.

"Man, what were you thinking just now? Guys shouldn't hit girls," pointed out Touji. Shinji shook his head. He couldn't even think straight now...

At NERV HQ, some time later...

Misato looked up from the papers which she had been going over. Someone had barged into her office without knocking.

"Asuka, what are you doing here?" The major took a hard look at the girl standing before her. She was sweaty and panting, having ran all the way here. When Asuka didn't answer, Misato noticed that she was staring at the floor. The older lady knew that something was wrong.

"Look at me. What's going on?" As she observed Asuka, she noticed streaks of dried tears on the girl's face.

"Misato-san," sobbed Asuka as she hugged her guardian. As Misato patted the girl's head, she wondered what the whole thing was all about...

Back in school...

Mana kept silent during class. Knowing that she was feeling guilty over Asuka, Shinji didn't disturb her either. He thought about their relationship. Kaji-san was right; he should treasure it. Since tommorrow's a free day... He scribbled a note and passed it to the girl next to him.

"How about a visit to the outskirts of town tommorrow?" Mana looked at Shinji, who smiled thinly. She scribbled her reply and returned the note to its owner.

"Ok." A simple word, but it warmed Shinji's heart. It raced a little as well, but calmed down eventually. Mana, on the other hand, decided that she would let the boy know her secret during the outing. It pained her to do this. However, if Shinji knew of it from someone else, she couldn't imagine what would happen...

After class...

The couple walked side by side down the streets. Mana was still worried about Asuka; she didn't return to school at all. Shinji (carrying her bag) realised that Asuka was not merely throwing tantrums this time. He wondered where she could possibly have gone to.

"Shinji-kun, I wish to get something for you," said Mana as she walked into a music store. The boy followed suit. The girl walked to the English section and searched for a while.

"Here we go!" She held a CD in her hand. Shinji looked over her shoulder.

"Jean-Jacques Burnel?"

"I like his music. This CD is for you." Mana blushed. It was the first time she presented a gift to a... boyfriend. As she walked to the counter to pay for it, Shinji tried to stop his heart from racing again. Somehow, he no longer resisted the warm feeling that was now spreading to the rest of his body...

At the apartment...

Misato was at home, waiting for one of her charges. Asuka should be fine back in HQ, she thought, with Kaji looking after her. As for Shinji, he owes me an explanation. When he reached the apartment, the boy noticed the shoes outside. Asuka wasn't back yet. He opened the door.

"Hold it right there," ordered the lady as Shinji tried to walk to his room.

"What happened at school this morning?" Misato kept her tone as neutral as possible.

"Asuka grabbed Mana by the collar after she knew that her uniform was lent to Mana without her permission," stated the boy matter-of-factly. Before Misato could probe any further, he entered his room and slammed the door. The major decided to leave it as that, for the moment.

Shinji popped the CD into the small stereo system he had (inherited from Misato, who couldn't bear to throw it away). Although the sound was bad, he didn't mind it this time. As he scanned through the songs on the CD sleeve, his heart raced a little when he came to one particular song, entitled "We were Lovers"...

Over at NERV HQ...

Kaji sighed as he closed the door behind him. Asuka had been quiet the whole day, and all he could do, was simply sit beside her in silence. He lit a cigarette on his way to a certain man's office. Now that the girl had fallen asleep, it was time for other business.

Ikari Gendoh and his deputy waited for their agent. When he finally arrived, he saw the commander seated, his face a mere inch or two away from his steepled fingers. Fuyutsuki was behind him. Everything was the usual. Ryoji (minus his cigarette, which he had already disposed of outside) walked up to the pair.

"I reckoned that your mission for me this time has something to do with TRIDENT, right?"

"That's right," answered Fuyutsuki. He wasn't surprised that the agent knew about the rival system beforehand.

"You guys should have acted earlier..."

"You will sabotage the system before its next test. The EVAs would destroy it as it berserks through Tokyo-3." The deputy interrupted Ryoji, who decided to keep his mouth shut.

"The EVAs get to prove themselves while the government is disgraced. Nice plan," said Kaji half-jokingly. The two older men kept quiet.

"Consider it done." He turned to leave. Before he opened the door, he left a word of advice for Ikari.

"Commander, you might want to read the profile on Kirishima Mana."

As the agent closed the door, Gendoh gave the name a thought. He was sure that he had encountered the name before in his previous readings. Then, he had made a mental note; exactly what he had noted, he couldn't put a finger to it either. He opened his drawer and reached for the file...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	7. We Were Lovers

The morning of the sixth day (since Mana came; yes, Shinji kept track). Shinji looked forward to the (could he even believe it?) date. He went into the living room. No one was around. Asuka must have spent the night at HQ, he thought. As he washed up, he wondered what Mana would show up in...

Outside their school, Shinji waited. To make sure that he wasn't late, he had left the apartment early; he ended up being half an hour early. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long, for Mana decided to be early as well...

"Ohayo, Shinji-kun," called out a chirpy voice. The boy turned around. Mana was exactly as he had imagined her to be; she was wearing a simple white dress, with just the slightest touch of makeup. To top it off, the little white sun-hat looked beautiful on her. As for the girl, she wanted to giggle at the boy's outfit. It did look a little old-fashioned. Wisely, she kept quiet.

"Ohayo..." It was a while before the blushing boy found his tongue. The pair made their way to the train station. On the ride, Mana leaned against the boy's shoulder, her hat on her lap. By now, the blushing had lessened, somewhat.

They got off at the station near Lake Ashi. Shinji remembered his trip with the boys. This time, he was alone, with a girl. Once they reached the village by the lake, they spent the morning strolling through the little stores. Mana's lively chatter with the shopkeepers brightened up the day for everyone. At one particular stall, Shinji saw a little pendant. He stopped.

"Shinji-kun?"

"Hold on for a moment." He paid for the necklace (without asking for the price). Shyly, he handed it over to the girl.

"Thank you!" Mana put it around her neck at once. In the morning sun, it shone like a jewel. The stallowner stared in awe.

"Truth be told, you two look great! Please, allow me to take some photographs for the two of you!" Without waiting for their consent, he dashed towards the photography stall and borrowed an instant camera. The couple decided to go along. After posing them, the man snapped the button three times. As he handed two photos over, he nailed his copy to the side of his stall.

"It's always good to have advertising," reasoned the stallowner. Shinji giggled at his companion's blushing face...

After lunch, they went exploring in the woods. Through the pine trees, the couple chased each other and simply marvelled at what Mother Nature had to offer. The concrete jungle which was Tokyo-3 could not compare to this, thought the teens. Mana stopped by a particularly large pine.

"Shinji-kun, come here!" He stood beside Mana. The girl whipped out a marker and wrote her name on the trunk.

"Would you like to try it," asked the girl as she handed the marker over. Shinji took it gently and scribbled his name next to hers, before returning the instrument. The couple looked at the tree.

"I hope the next time we come here, it'll still be here," said Shinji softly. Mana's heart sank, although she didn't show it. After today, she wasn't sure if Shinji ever wanted to see her again.

The evening sun slowly descended behind the mountains as the couple admired the scenery. The sun, the lake, the hills and the trees... everything was perfect, thought the boy. Mana knew that the moment had come. But before that, she wanted to do one more thing.

"Shinji-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Could you close your eyes? I've a surprise for you." The boy followed her request. The girl took off her hat. He felt a sudden peck on his cheek. When he opened his eyes, he saw the girl withdrawing her face from his, a little smile on her lips as she replaced her hat.

"That's surprise no. 1. As for no.2..." Her voice trailed off.

"No.2?" Shinji was puzzled.

"Actually, I knew that you were an EVA pilot since day 1." The words hit him like a ton of bricks.

"What," whispered the boy.

"I knew that you were an EVA pilot since the day I arrived here. I was sent by the Japanese government to spy on NERV and the EVA crew. That's why I came to the school, as a transfer student." Surprisingly, both teens were composed, for now.

"So, all this while, you were pretending? Everything you've told me was a lie?" The words came out without malice, which hurt Mana even more. She would have felt better if Shinji had screamed at her. She shook her head.

"No! I really enjoyed..."

"ENOUGH," bellowed the boy suddenly. He stared at the girl in front of him. The pendant, which shone lightly in the setting sun, seemed to be mocking him for his mistake. The girl was now shaking slightly.

"I never want to see you again. Get out of my sight," said the boy softly.

"Shinji..."

"NOW!" Nothing she said would change anything now. Turning around, Mana ran. As Shinji stared at the ground in front of him, he didn't notice the streaks that were flowing down the girl's cheeks. Mana clamped her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud. The breeze blew her sun-hat away. As it dropped to the ground, neither teen picked it up. It had seemed all so perfect just a short while ago...

Later, at Misato's apartment...

Shinji went straight from the door to his room. The guardian, sensing the raw anger coming from him, wisely reserved her questions for another time.

Inside the room, Shinji switched on the stereo. The CD which Mana had given him was still inside. Something possessed him to play one particular song. As the music started to play, he looked at the lyrics on the sleeve. It gave him a shock. When the soulful male voice began singing, his tears, too, started to flow.

"Harsh words were said

and lies were told instead.

I didn't ever mean to make you cry.

But love can make us weak and make us strong,

and before too very long.

I was totally in love with you.

I bathed in you.

Lost in you, captivated by you.

Amazed by you, dazed by you.

Nothing can go wrong.

Nothing can go wrong."

"So tonight I'll sing

a song to all my friends.

Also to those we won't be seeing again.

To those I knew and those I still adore

and I want to see once more.

I just pray that you will love me

and trust me.

Laugh with me and cry with me

spend those silent times with me.

Love me evermore.

Love me evermore."

"You and I were lovers.

Our dreams were not soured by life.

And then my friends betrayed me

meant you never would be my wife."

Shinji took out the photo which was still in his pocket. As the first verse was repeated, he realised how deeply he must have hurt Mana. He buried his face in the mattress and covered his head with the pillow. The stereo continued on with the next song...

Over at Mana's place...

The girl was listening to the same song as well. However, she had other worries on her mind. A few hours later, a TRIDENT robot would undergo its final testing. A close friend of hers was going to be on board. Although she was saddened by Shinji's outburst, she had been prepared for it. Nonetheless, the corner of her eyes were still wet as she repeated "We Were Lovers". At the same time, she prayed for two things: her friend's well-being, and forgiveness from an EVA pilot.

In a bunk at NERV HQ...

Asuka stared at the ceiling. Two days of thinking while being alone (apart from the odd visit from Kaji and Misato)had done some good. She realised that she was the one who had taken Shinji for granted. He had always been there for her to abuse (Yes, that's the right word.). He was also there whenever she needed to get something off her chest. It's settled then. She would express her feelings for Shinji the next time she saw him. With that, the girl fell asleep at last...

Afterthoughts

-The song "We Were Lovers" is from the Gankutsuou soundtrack and IS by Burnel. Listen to it as you read this fic a second time (hopefully).

-Please RnR! 


	8. Battle Before Dawn

Shinji didn't know what the time was. He didn't know how many times the stereo had replayed the CD, nor did he cared. He didn't budge even when the door to his room flew open. Having given it a mighty kick, Misato then walked up to the machine and turned it off. She switched on the lights and grabbed Shinji by the shoulders.

"Misato-san, what are you doing," asked the boy as he tried to struggle. The major kept a firm grip; she didn't have time for games.

"We're needed back in HQ, now!" Shinji stood up in a hurry. Misato was glad to see that he was alright. That can wait, however.

"Misato-san, is it..." asked the boy as the duo ran to the lady's car.

"Not this time. That much, I can confirm," replied the major. Once inside, she turned on the ignition and stepped on the gas even before the boy could buckle up...

At NERV HQ...

"How's the situation," asked the head of operations. Akagi Ritsuko gave her a stare (for being late, as always) before continuing.

"We have a mechanical construct that's out of control in Tokyo-3."

"English, Doc." Misato always called her friend that whenever she spoke in jargon.

"Take a look at this." The major looked at the papers which were stuffed into her hands.

"TRIDENT?" The name wasn't a strange one; she didn't make the connection in time.

"One of their robots is berserking as we speak."

"What about the EVAs?"

"Units 00 and 02 are already on standby. The moment Shinji's ready, it's your show."

"Don't remind me," snapped the major. She hated being under pressure, especially since the enemy this time wasn't an Angel.

In the hangar...

"Well, you sure took your time," wisecracked Asuka as Shinji's face appeared on the interface. Apparently, the unfortunate incident had been forgotten for now, where team work would mean success or failure. In any case, with so many pairs of ears listening in, she couldn't tell the boy anything.

"Excuse me! You were staying here when the alarm went off," retorted the pilot of 01.

"Quiet! The three of you, listen up. Just take down that thing and we can all go back to dreamland. Is that clear?" Misato's voice was more agitated than usual. Directing battles at 3.30 a.m. was the last thing she needed. One consolation: scans of the battle area showed that it was an abandoned sector, with very low risk of collateral damage.

"Is there anyone inside the target," asked Rei.

"That's a negative. So, I expect you guys to be back in your beds in half an hour's time!" As the Evangelions were launched, Asuka laughed.

"30 minutes? Between the three of us, that thing wouldn't even last three minutes!"

"Don't be too cocky," reminded Shinji. The girl stuck out her tongue at him. Misato's voice sounded again.

"One more thing: aim for the central cavity! That's where the power core is!" The major had quickly read through the data in greater detail.

Once they were above ground, the EVAs went to work immediatly. Shinji marvelled at the machine as 01 closed in. If no one was piloting the thing, its construction must have been very sophisticated. Asuka, however, was not so interested. With 00 providing support fire, 01 and 02 plunged their knives into the chest cavity of the unit, as instructed. There was an explosion and a deafening roar. After that, all was quiet.

"Nice one, the three of you. Three minutes." Misato was proud of the pilots.

"Told you we could do it." Asuka was smug that she was right after all. Then, she remembered something.

"Misato, I'll go back with you later."

"Welcome home," said Misato with a smile. Looks like one problem's been solved.

The lady whistled as she waited for the pilots at the car. Rei would be joining them; the trains in Tokyo-3 don't run 24 hours a day. As for herself, her warm bed was waiting.

"Misato," shouted Asuka from across the carpark. The other pilots hopped in without a word. They, too, were tired.

On the drive home, both Rei and Shinji fell asleep. After checking on them throught the rear view mirror, Misato decided to talk with Asuka.

"Shinji came home in a foul mood today, after his date with Mana-chan." (The boy had to report his activities to his guardian.)

"Oh?" Somehow, she didn't cheer upon hearing the news.

"My guess is that Mana-chan told him the truth already." Asuka kept quiet.

After waking Rei up outside her place, the trio continued on their way. The moment they reached the apartment, they headed for their respective rooms. Asuka, however, wanted to do one more thing...

"Who's that," asked Shinji as a knock came on the door. He was just about to turn in. Asuka was outside, beaming away.

"Shinji, close your eyes."

"Asuka, if this is another of your pranks, I'm going to sleep." He turned around.

"No! Trust me. Close your eyes." The boy faced his visitor and did what he was told to. He felt a pair of hands grabbing his head, and a pair of lips being planted on his own. Before he could protest, Asuka was done.

"Sweet dreams!" The boy stared at her as she returned to her room, closed the door and locked it. There's no telling what he might do, thought the girl cheekily. As it turned out, her worries were unfounded. All the boy did, was to stare at the ceiling, still wondering about what that kiss was for...

The next morning...

"Ohayo, Shinji," chirped Asuka as the boy emerged from his room. Although he hadn't forgot about the kiss earlier on, Asuka acted as if nothing had happened. Since Misato was around, he kept mum about the incident. However, the girl was hell-bent on disturbing him for the rest of the day.

"So, how did the kiss feel," whispered the girl in his ear. The boy went red at once.

"Shinji-kun, what's wrong?" The lady put down her can of beer on the table. 

"Nothing..." Misato looked at Asuka, who gave her a little smile. She sighed, before picking up the can again...

At Mana's place...

Naoki looked at his daughter. He hated to be the bearer of ill news. However, Mana had the right to know that her friend was killed during the test. When he mentioned that the prototype was destroyed by the EVAs, the fury and the sadness was unmistakable.

"Why?" Mana had asked. It was a question only the pilots could answer, and she would get it out of them tommorrow...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	9. Final Break?

Monday morning: time for school again. However, things won't be like the week before. The first indication? Mana wasn't in school today. As Shinji pondered over her absence, his handphone sounded. There was a message for him.

"Meet me at the rooftop of the school after lessons. K.M.." The boy was a little worried. Mana had never used her initials in her messages before. However, he quickly dismissed these worries. He was just glad that she wanted to see him again, after what had happened at their date.

"Hmmm... Mana's not here today," observed Touji after the pilots had arrived.

"Shinji must be pretty lonely," pointed out Kensuke.

"Well, at least he should have time for us today. We can check out that new arcade together!"

After school, the boys crowded around Shinji. He sighed.

"Sorry. I'm... busy today."

"With what, may I ask?" Touji was a little angry by now. Couldn't he just spend a little time with them, thought the sporty boy.

"I..."

"Forget it, Touji. Just leave him alone," said Kensuke. With a huff, Touji strode out of the classroom. The teen looked at Shinji.

"Take care, alright?" He then hurried behind his other friend. Asuka decided to tail her fellow pilot, to see what he was up to.

Upon reaching the rooftop, Mana was there, waiting for him. In her school uniform, no one had noticed her entering the premises (although she should be leaving instead). The girl walked up to him.

"Mana..." Shinji was then interrupted by a slap from the girl.

"What do you think you are doing," shouted Asuka as she came out of her hiding place.

"Asuka?"

"Why? Why did you guys have to kill him," cried Mana. She was still trying hard to hold her tears.

"Kill?" Asuka had no idea what the other girl was talking about. As for Shinji, the shock of having Asuka in this supposedly private conversation had taken a back seat. Also, his swollen cheek didn't seem to hurt any more.

"The pilot in the prototype...My father told me that the EVAs destroyed it!"

"Pilot," asked the duo in unison. Mana calmed down, somewhat.

"You mean... you two didn't know that there was somebody inside the robot?

"No, we didn't. Misato said that the whole thing was mechanical, and told us to blow it up ASAP," confirmed Asuka.

"Let me tell you now: There was someone inside, and he died because of the EVAs!" The bitter edge in Mana's voice cut deeply into Shinji's heart.

"Hey, don't put the blame on us! We seriously did not know!"

"I trust Misato-san. She would never fool around if lives were at stake," said Shinji quietly. His colleague nodded her agreement.

"Calm down, Kirishima. Looks like we have a misunderstanding here," said Asuka as gently as she could. Mana looked at the pilots. She decided to trust them this time.

"Please, let me speak with Major Katsuragi. I must know what happened!"

"Come along, then. We're heading home. Shinji, give Misato a call and ask if she'll be coming home tonight." The boy whipped out his phone at once. The trio then began their walk back to the apartment...

Outside the apartment, some time later...

Misato was thinking hard as she fished for her pass. Shinji's strange call aroused her suspicions at once. Usually, it was her who would call them if she was not returning for the night. The moment she entered the apartment, Mana stood up.

"Major Katsuragi, please tell me truthfully what happened that night!" She bowed at the end of her request. The lady was perplexed.

"That night?" She stared at her charges.

"The night where we blew up that runaway robot. Kirishima said that there was a pilot inside the machine," explained Asuka plainly. Misato gasped.

"A pilot inside? But, the data had no such indication!"

"Who gave you those data, Misato-san," asked Shinji.

"Ritsuko..." It dawned to the major that she may have been deceived. She needed some answers, and the doctor would most certainly not be the one to give them. She dialled a number on her cellphone.

"Kaji, can you drop by my place at once? I have a big problem here." Shinji shifted uneasily but said nothing. How did Kaji-san fit into all this?

As they waited, the four remained silent. The silence was only broken by frantic knocks on the front door. Asuka went to get it.

"Asuka, what's this big problem which I heard from Misato?" The girl pointed at the other guest.

"Ask her." Mana repeated her question. Ryoji frowned as he sat down.

"I can only think of one reason. Someone had deliberately left out that piece of information, so that Katsuragi would give orders to dispose of the TRIDENT robot quickly."

"Who could have done such a thing," asked Misato.

"Kaji-san, why do you know so much?" The man gave Shinji and Mana a hard look.

"I did some investigations on Mana for Misato. In fact, you're the only person here who doesn't know that Mana's a spy at the time of the party." Shinji went limp as Kaji pointed at him. Mana hung her head.

"As for Katsuragi's question, it could be any one: Ritsuko, the commanders..."

"Father?" Mana stared at the boy.

"Shinji's father is the commander of NERV." By now, Ryoji didn't see the point of keeping such secrets. The girl's tears started to flow down from the corners of her eyes.

"Mana-chan..." began Misato.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Kaji-san, for clearing things up," said the girl as she stood up. She then bolted for the door.

"Go after her," urged Kaji. The boy didn't need further prompting...

Outside, the pilot chased for a short distance before pulling at Mana's hand. The girl's fierce expression shocked him even as he was saddened by her tear streaken face.

"Why did it come to this? Why is the one whom I loved responsible for my friend's death?" Shinji looked at the ground.

"It's over between us," whispered the girl.

"Mana!" The girl continued running despite Shinji's pleas. Maybe, it was truly over between the two of them. As the boy remembered those few days of joy in his life, his tears came readily as well...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	10. Two Hearts as One

Shinji didn't stir as the morning sun shone into his room through the curtains. As the sunlight became more intense, he pulled the blanket over his head. Outside, Misato and Asuka had their breakfast silently. After yesterday's events, the guardian decided to let the boy do whatever he wanted for today.

Once he was sure that he was alone, Shinji got up from his bed. He didn't know what he would be doing for the day, nor did he cared. Without Mana, life suddenly became so unbearable. He wondered just how did he survive all those years being alone. He then walked slowly to the kitchen. On the table, was a simple sandwich on a plate. He pulled out the note underneath it. It read "Take care." Shinji smiled thinly. Misato-san always tried her best to help him out, he thought. However, this time, there was nothing she could do.

Just then, a knock came on the door. Now, who could that be? It must be Misato-san forgetting her pass again. When he opened the door, a tall stranger with soft features stood before him. He looked suspiciously at the man.

"Who are you?"

"My name... is Kirishima Naoki. May I come in?" After recovering from his surprise, the boy invited his guest inside. Naoki sat down on the floor next to the "low" table while Shinji poured two glasses of milk from a carton. He remained silent as he placed the glasses on the table and sat at the other end.

"I know who you are, Ikari-kun, and your relationship with Mana. As a father, I would like you to come along with me." Shinji panicked.

"Is Mana..." The father shook his head.

"She's alright, physically." His sad tone told Shinji that all was not well.

"I'll follow you, Kirishima-san." He then gulped down his glass of milk in one setting. It should have been beer; he would need all the courage which he could muster.

"Come, then. I suspect that you have many things which you wish to tell her."

At Mana's apartment...

The girl got up to answer the knock on the door. Her father had spent the whole night consoling her, even sleeping overnight, just to keep an eye on her. Knowing her father's busy schedule, she insisted that she was fine. However, she knew that it was a lie. She wanted to see Shinji again; she just couldn't bring herself to forgive him, at least, not yet. As it turned out, it was the boy who visited her instead.

"Mana, I brought him here without your knowledge. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Father." She then gave Shinji a cold look.

"You may come in, if you wish." Steeling himself, the boy entered the little apartment. The spartan decor reminded him of Rei's place. But, that's where the similarities end; Mana's place was neat and tidy.

"I'll leave you two to sort things out," said Naoki, as he entered a room (Mana's) and closed the door. The two teenagers looked at each other. Shinji took a deep breath.

"I know that whatever I say isn't going to bring your friend back. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, for lying to you." The boy shook his head.

"It's alright. You were just doing your job." He sat down next to the girl. She didn't get up to leave. Good.

"I really enjoyed myself that day. Would you like to visit the place again?" Shinji hoped that she would give the answer he wanted. However, the girl kept silent. The boy took another deep breath.

"I...really like you, Mana-chan! Please, don't leave me alone again!" It was a fear which had surfaced in his mind ever since their date. He grabbed her hand impulsively. By now, Mana was trying hard not to cry. She, too, realised that she needed the boy in her life. She hugged him tightly. As the warmth of her body reached his, Shinji made a solemn vow.

"I'll be there for you always, I promise." As Mana nodded, her face was already wet with tears.

As he peeked from the room, Kirishima Naoki sighed. He was relieved that his daughter had finally untied the knot in her heart. On the other hand, things weren't so lucky at the lab. The real reason why he had time for Mana was that he had been temporarily suspended from the TRIDENT project, as HQ investigated the cause of the malfunction. Even if he's cleared, he had doubts that the project would be continued. The incident exposed a fundamental flaw of the system: They had no way of stopping the robot if the auto-mechanisms fail. But, that's a problem for another time. He only had one thing in mind now.

"See that you keep your promise, young man," whispered the father as he closed the door.

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR!

-As you may guess, I've writers' block on this series. Sorry for the delay! 


	11. Twist of Fate

Asuka looked around as she stepped into the apartment. Shinji wasn't around. Where could the boy be? All his friends were in school today. Well, except Kirishima, that is. The EVA pilot thought for a while, and came to a conclusion, and it wasn't one which she was happy with. She sat down on the couch and sulked. However, the more she thought of it, the calmer she became. She smiled to herself. Tonight, Misato wouldn't be around...

"I'm back," announced Shinji as he entered the living room. Asuka (who had changed into her home clothes) was sitting on the couch. The boy could tell that she had been waiting for him.

"Is anything the matter," he asked warily. The girl grinned.

"How's your chat with Mana?"

"How did you..."

"Any idiot could have guessed it," said Asuka sarcastically. Actually, she wasn't sure if the boy knew where Mana was staying. As it turned out, Shinji took the bait. His face reddened.

"Well?" The girl was still waiting for an answer.

"We..."

"...made up, right? Congrats on that!" The boy was stunned. He had expected her to explode instead. Asuka stood up and walked over to him.

"Listen. I know it was my fault that day. Sure, I was jealous of Mana-chan. But, guess what? Although she may have your heart..." The girl suddenly gave Shinji a headlock.

"But, you're still my toy!"

"That hurts! Let go of me," cried the boy as he tried to break free. Asuka let him off with a little smile on her face.  
It didn't fade even as the boy gave her an indignant look.

"Just promise me that you'll be happy with Mana-chan, ok?" With that, the girl then walked with a springy step back to her room. Once inside, she locked the door, and forced herself to smile even as a single tear flowed from her eye. Although she began to realise what it meant when people said that you would receive happiness when you wished it upon those whom you loved, her heart still ached, even if it was just a little...

Outside, Shinji was staring into empty space. He didn't know that Asuka actually cared for him. After letting her words sink in, he then told himself that come what may, he would not disappoint the girls...

The next morning, Rei noticed that her two companions were more relaxed than usual. However, she didn't give it a second thought. In school, it wasn't long before the other classmates were gossiping among themselves when they saw how close Shinji and Mana were to each other, and how Asuka made herself scarce when the situation called for it.

"Looks like you lost the bet, Touji," winked Kensuke, as his friend scowled in return. However, even the jock could tell that the couple were truly in love. As Hikari observed Asuka, she came to the conclusion that her friend did not want to become the third party in this relationship.

However, as the week progressed, things were not going so well on other matters. In NERV, despite Misato's questioning, Ritsuko refused to give an answer as to why the wrong information had been passed down. Although the major decided to let the matter rest, she couldn't help but sigh. Their friendship had begun to fall apart. Misato still had hope that it could be saved; in her heart, the doctor knew that they were on different sides.

After their investigations, the Japanese government reluctantly dissolved the TRIDENT project. Feeling confident that the research could not be resurrected, personnel involved were then discharged. Naoki decided to see Shinji and his daughter one more time...

"Father, you're leaving?" Mana tried to keep her volume down. The cafe they were in was packed with patrons. Naoki nodded as he sipped his coffee. Although her father had rarely spent time with her, the thought of him going overseas was still a little overwhelming.

"Where will you go, Kirishima-san," asked Shinji.

"To anywhere where I could use my expertise," came the reply. The man wasn't worried about himself. He gave Shinji a stern look.

"I heard what you promised the other day. Make sure you keep it."

"I will," said Shinji firmly.He then placed a gentle hand on Mana's, who blushed slightly. Unknown to them, the commander of NERV had his own plans for the girl...

"Ikari, this..."

"I see nothing wrong with the arrangement, Fuyutsuki." The deputy couldn't tell if Gendo had other ideas. He looked at the profile in front of him. Somehow, Kirishima Mana reminded him of someone he knew, possibly a good friend. Then, he remembered one important distinction: being a prospective candidate doesn't mean that she would become an EVA pilot. Still, with her previous role...

"In case you're wondering about the government, they've officially discharged all personnel of their duties." Apparently, good intelligence never hurts anyone. Kozo looked at his friend again. Since he had everything under control, the doctor saw no reason to protest further...

Afterthoughts

-Stupid writer's block...

-Please RnR! 


	12. Angel Strike 1

Shinji smiled as he looked to the sky. It was lunch-time: another private moment for him and Mana together as they ate their bentos on the rooftop. Not too long ago, they weren't even speaking to each other. So, it's true when they say that whatever didn't bring you down would only make you stronger, thought the boy.

"Shinji, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead." Mana put down her chopsticks as she looked at the boy.

"How does it REALLY feel like to be an EVA pilot?" The pilot returned her gaze. It was a question she had asked before, while she was still...Shinji shook his head. That was all in the past. He thought for a while.

"It's hard to say, actually. Sometimes, I'm reluctant to go inside the EVA. On other occasions, I just want to prove that I can do something." He stopped as he recalled his previous battles.

"It couldn't have been easy piloting the EVAs, right," suggested the girl. Shinji nodded. For the first time, he felt that someone else was sharing his heavy burden.

"Whatever you do, remember that I'll be waiting for you." Her voice became softer when she thought of the worst-case scenario. If Shinji was to...

"I won't do anything stupid, I promise. Your father wouldn't let me off otherwise," teased the boy. Just then, the siren sounded. Both teens stood up. Mana gave Shinji a light peck on his cheek.

"Good luck." With that, she rushed for the stairs, to join the other students in the shelter. The boy took a deep breath. Showtime, he thought...

Later, at NERV HQ...

"What are we having here, Doctor Akagi," asked the head of operations. When it came to work, personal misgivings had to step aside. Apparently, the doctor agreed with Misato.

"Other than the fact that its AT field pattern type is blue, we know nuts about it." Ritsuko didn't disguise her helplessness this time. Somehow, she had the bad feeling that this battle would go horribly wrong.

"What about MAGI?"

"Insufficient data for analysis," reported Maya. The major thought for a while.

"After taking an extended break, they gave us an extra-tough one. Nice compensation." If those who overheard the sarcastic remark had opinions about it, they didn't voice them.

"The three of you, currently, MAGI has no idea what this Angel is capable of! Act accordingly to the situation!" The pilots acknowledged their orders. Shinji looked hard at their foe. Apart from a strange sphere floating in the sky, it was just a dark shadow below it. Asuka grew impatient of waiting.

"Let's see how it fares against this!" EVA-02 then fired its rifle at the sphere. Weirdly, it disappeared momentarily before reappearing.

"What the...," exclaimed the girl in surprise. In the operations room, Misato gave her friend a stare. Ritsuko shook her head in return. Leliel decided to display its "powers". Suddenly, the EVA pilots noticed that the shadow was growing, and buildings were sinking into it!

"Get out of there, all of you," ordered Misato. Although the pilots needed no further prompting, 01 was a little too slow in its escape. As it sank into the "shadow", Shinji fought hard to think straight. Mana was waiting for him to return...

As Ritsuko and the other scientists worked hard on the problem, Misato clutched the cross around her neck, and whispered a soft prayer. Fuyutsuki looked at his friend. Gendo remained placid; apparently, he wasn't worried about 01 even though it had completely disappeared into the inky-black darkness.

Dismounted from their units, Asuka and Rei waited in the standby room. The pilot of 02 wasn't too anxious about her friend; Shinji always scrapped through in the end, she thought.

In the school's shelter, Mana heard a soft cracking sound. It was her pendant, the one she had received from Shinji. She clutched it tightly in her hands, and hoped that it wasn't an ill omen.

Within 01, Shinji had calmed down, somewhat. The power supply of his unit had already been cut, and only the support systems were keeping him alive. The situation was bad. Curiously, he felt peacefulness in his heart instead. He closed his eyes...

Shinji found himself in a large field, with Mana beside him. He looked at the horizon, and saw a familiar figure. He held Mana's hand gently and ran over to his mother. She looked exactly the same as how he remembered her to be. As he hugged Yui, the lady smiled.

"You've grown up so much, Shinji."

"You must be Shinji's mother," greeted Mana politely. Yui nodded as the boy stood up straight. The two most important women in his life were here with him. If it was a dream, he didn't mind even if he would never wake up again. As the couple took a slow walk, Yui followed behind them, smiling gently. She then knew what had to be done...

"We're getting some activity here," shouted Shigeru suddenly. Everyone turned their attention to the monitors. With a monstrous roar, a hand could be seen breaking out from the sphere, with spurts of dark liquid from the "wound". As 01 tore its way to freedom, everyone in the operation room was stunned by this turn of events. On his part, Gendo flashed a thin smile. Misato quickly recovered from her shock.

"Target destroyed," continued Shigeru. Although their job was done, there was still one more thing on Misato's mind.

"Status of the pilot?"

"He's ok," replied Makoto. The major heaved a sigh of relief. She gave the order for the recovery crew to do their job for 01...

Inside the EVA's parking bay...

"Nei, Baka Shinji, wake up," shouted Asuka as she shook the boy's shoulders. Shinji opened his eyes. He wanted to pound the guy who had stirred him from his dream. When he saw that it was Asuka, he sighed. Touji's words about hitting girls came back to him.

"So, you just had a nice dream." The slight drool from the corner of the boy's lips didn't escape her sharp eyes. Shinji changed the subject.

"Everything's fine now, right?"

"Thanks to you, the Angel's toast. Ja! I'll see you outside the changing room!" Shinji grinned as the girl marched off. Despite his slight ordeal, everything had turned out fine...

At his locker, he checked his handphone while gathering his clothes. There was a new message.

"Are you alright?" Shinji thought for a while before sending his reply.

"The usual." It was a lie, but he reasoned that Mana didn't have to know. As the girl received his message, she lifted the cracked pendant to her lips, and gave it a gentle kiss. Somehow, she felt that someone had looked out for her and Shinji today...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	13. Angel Strike 2

Ritsuko frowned as she looked at the data in front of her. This was bad. Already, the rest of HQ had witnessed, on video, how Eva-04 vanished, along with NERV-02. With the other branches in disarray, it was up to Tokyo-3 to take in Eva-03. She flipped through the list of potential candidates for the activation test. She had two names in mind. She just wondered who would ultimately become the pilot of the new unit. Although she was the one to decide, Misato mustn't know of this, she thought. She placed the two profiles side by side. It was then that she noticed that it was a boy and a girl...

Back in school, Shinji got a little shock when he saw Mana's pendant. Like him, she couldn't figure out why it cracked. The boy promised to find a replacement for it. Touji digged his elbow into Kensuke's ribs.

"I can't stand it anymore. Why can't we find ourselves some proper dates?"

"Looks like some jock here is being blind to his own situation." Asuka couldn't resist a joke at Touji's expense. Besides, she was beginning to enjoy her new role as matchmaker. As expected, Hikari blushed, even as Touji was puzzled.

"What do you mean, you grouch?" The reply was merely a shrug of Asuka's shoulders.

"Go figure yourself. Let's go, Hikari. The air around here is getting dumber by the second." As Touji was being restrained by Kensuke, Shinji and Mana noticed the class monitoress' flaming red cheeks. The couple looked at each other, and smiled. Love was certainly in the air...

At NERV HQ, Ritsuko finally made her choice. As she typed away at the keyboard, a knock came on the door.

"Come in." It was Misato.

"What are you busy with?" Despite the major's efforts, it ended up sounding a little frosty. If Ritsuko had noticed it, she had no comment.

"Nothing much in particular. Just looking through the Fourth Child's data."

"Fourth Child? If I remembered correctly, the Marduk Institute hadn't sent its report yet."

"Official word would come tomorrow." Misato decided to ask the question again.

"Ritsuko, are you hiding something from me?" The tapping stopped. The scientist turned and looked at her friend straight in the eye.

"No." Ritsuko knew that it was a lie. But, this was the only way to stop more questions from her friend, and an attempt to keep their friendship, now strained, intact. For now, Misato decided to trust her one more time. She looked at the computer monitor, and had the shock of her life.

"This.. is the Fourth Child?"

It was lunch-time, and as usual, Shinji and Mana were having their bentos up at the rooftop. However, today, there were unexpected guests who needed their help.

"Asuka..." Hikari didn't think that it was such a good idea after all.

"Hikari, trust me." She opened the door. The couple turned their heads to see who it was.

"Asuka?"

"Hikari-chan?" Now, this was surprising.

"Shinji, Mana, Hikari needs your help."

"Does it have something to do with Touji-kun," suggested Mana. Asuka nodded, while Hikari's face turned red for the second time that day.

"Can you guys help her? I'm at loggerheads with Jock Boy, and Hikari is too shy to approach him. Besides, you two should be better at this than I am." This time, it was the couple's turn to blush.

"Well, Hikari-chan always have little fights with him," observed Mana.

"Touji's weakness is food. Maybe, you might want to start from there. For instance, you can make him a bento," suggested Shinji.

"Hmmm... For once, your plan might work, baka Shinji." The boy winced, even as Mana giggled.

"...Thank you, Ikari-kun." Hikari thought that the idea wasn't so bad after all.

Later, during class, Mana was called to the principal's office. Waiting there, was Akagi Ritsuko. As she explained the purpose of her visit, the girl's heart beat a little faster...

"Mana, what was that about," asked Shinji, as the class was dismissed for the day. After she had returned from the office, Shinji couldn't tell if it was something good, or bad.

"Shinji..." The girl didn't know how to break the news to him. She thought for a while.

"Can I walk you to your place, just for today?" The boy was puzzled by the request, but he agreed. On the way, Mana had wanted to tell him; she remained silent instead. Shinji decided that it had to be something bad. Before they knew it, they were outside the apartment.

"Do you want to come in," asked Shinji. Mana nodded. To their surprise, both Misato and Asuka were there. The older lady had just wanted to take a break. It'll be a busy week ahead for her. She stiffened when she saw her guest. While she had the sense not to tell Asuka what she had saw at HQ, she certainly didn't expect a visit from the girl in question.

"Misato, what's wrong with you," asked the redhead.

"Nothing," lied the guardian, as she quickly lifted the beer can to her lips. Mana decided that she could tell Shinji what had happened in front of them.

"I'm going to be an EVA pilot." Misato choked on her beer, while Asuka and Shinji stared at their classmate.

"A-re? I heard that 03 is coming to Tokyo-3. But, you're the pilot?" Asuka couldn't believe what she had just heard. Shinji was too stunned to speak.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I really want to become a pilot, to fight alongside you guys..."

"Mana, it's dangerous!" Shinji pointed out the obvious, as always.

"Besides, after I agreed, Ritsuko-san told me that she was a little surprised when I accepted. She had expected to fall back on the second choice, which was Touji-kun." Misato was sure that she didn't hear Mana wrongly. A second choice was already being considered? The older lady knew then that her friend was lying. She was deeply disappointed.

"That jock was the other candidate?" Asuka didn't know if this piece of news was the more shocking one out of the two. Mana nodded. She then turned to Shinji.

"At least, I knew about NERV and the EVAs. Hikari-chan doesn't, and she and Touji-kun..." Shinji understood what she tried to get at.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." Shinji remembered his promise. Meanwhile, Asuka eyed her guardian warily.

"Nice work, Misato, keeping such a big secret from us. What else are you hiding?"

"The activation test is scheduled for tomorrow. I thought I'll tell you guys then, before I set off." Mana confirmed it with another nod. Shinji put his hands on her shoulders.

"You'll be safe. Misato-san and Ritsuko-san would guide you along. It's not too difficult to move the EVA." Shinji knew that it was a white lie, but, what the heck, he thought.

"That's right. So, go home and get some rest. It will be a tiring week ahead. Shinji, you know what to do."

"We're off, then!" With that, the couple set off for Mana's place. It would be their last moments together before the test...

The next day, at the test site, Misato found it hard to look at her former best friend. But, she could not neglect her duties. Besides, Mana was also counting on her. But, when the sirens went off, her nightmare was about to begin...

It was lunch-time, and Shinji and Kensuke were having their lunch on the rooftop. They were not alone. Hikari and Touji were eating their bentos a short distance away. The jock was all flustered that she had actually prepared a bento for him. Shinji smiled thinly as he saw the couple. Already, he missed Mana. Suddenly, his handphone beeped. It was Ibuki Maya.

"Shinji, get all the pilots back to HQ! There has been an accident!" The phone nearly slipped from the boy's hand...

The situation was bad. Without Misato or Ritsuko to direct the battle, the pilots were on their own against the enemy. Worse things were to come when they saw that it was an...

"EVA?" Shinji was now sick to his guts. Before they knew it, 02 was already out for the count.

"Rei, keep your distance. Fire when the target stops moving," ordered Gendo. Shinji panicked, as 01 ran towards 00.

"Hold your fire! There's someone in there!"

Someone, thought Ayanami.

"Mana... Mana-chan is inside!" In the end, it was all for nothing. 03 took down 00 with little effort. As Rei winced at the pain of having an arm torn off from her, the rogue unit was now standing right in front of Shinji. His father's orders brought no comfort to him. Then, he remembered his promise. But, how...

"Shinji, attack it," came a voice in his head.

"Okasan? But, Mana-chan..."

"That thing in front of you is not Mana-chan. She's waiting for you to save her, in her Entry Plug." Entry Plug? Shinji got the hint.

"Arigato, okasan."

"Shinji, what are you..." Gendo was surprised when 01 snapped out of its slumber, and charged towards the Angel.

"Ikari, this..." For once, both commanders couldn't explain the scene that was now unfolding before them.

Sensing danger, 03 lashed out an extended arm at 01. The purple unit stepped aside, and caught the limb. With a cry, Shinji concentrated his mind on tearing the limb. Blood gushed out from the wound as 01 tossed the useless arm aside. Without missing a beat, Shinji moved 01 within range. The unit gave the Angel a hard punch to the head, and another. 03 fell to the ground. It's time to end this, thought the boy, as he smashed 03's head to a pulp. Then, 01 flipped the beaten unit. The plug was there, still caught in a web when it tried to eject. Tearing the plug free, 01 gently held it in its hand. Shinji got his unit far away from 03, and rested the tube in 01's hand on the ground.

"The target shows no signs of activity," reported Shigeru, as he recovered from that show of exceptional control. Maya, despite feeling a little sick due to the brain smashing, felt as if she had just witnessed a perfect fight from 01.

"Send out the recovery teams," ordered the commander, with just the hint of a smile on his lips.

After "parking" 01, Shinji came out from his Entry Plug. Please, let her be alright, prayed the teen, as he opened 03's plug. Stepping inside, there was a deadly silence. Then...

"Shinji? Is that you?" The boy never thought that he could be so glad to hear that voice again.

"Are you alright?" Mana nodded. When the Angel took over, it had sent her to sleep.

"I'm sorry," whispered the girl.

"For what?"

"For... letting you worry."

"Don't be silly. It's an Angel. It's our job to take it down." Did I just sound like Asuka, wondered Shinji. Anyway, Mana tried to stand up. As Shinji gave her a hand, for the first time, he noticed her appearance. Those clips, and her plug suit... Shinji blushed. Although he's comfortable with Rei and Asuka wearing them, somehow, on Mana...

"Shinji, why are you blushing?

"Nothing." The answer came too quickly to be convincing. But then, Mana remembered something.

"Before I passed out, there was a huge explosion. I wonder how Misato-san and Ritsuko-san are now?" A beam of light came shining into the plug.

"Oi! Are you guys alright?" It was the leader of the recovery team. After he saw the answer for himself, he ordered the team to begin their job...

"Well, well, if it isn't baka Shinji and his girl," teased Asuka, as she met the pair outside the changing room. Despite her ordeal, she was fine. Behind her, Rei was also waiting. It was as if she was worried about Shinji... or Mana.

"Asuka, are you alright," asked Mana. She gave the girl a thumbs-up.

"I'm fine, although I wouldn't want to step near 03 again," she joked. She then cocked the thumb at Rei.

"She's ok too. I can't say the same for 00, though." Shinji then remembered his guardian.

"Misato and Ritsuko-san? I'm not sure. Kaji-san should be with them now. The test site is still pretty chaotic. But, that's none of our business." After shrugging her shoulders, Asuka took a closer look at Mana.

"Mana, this colour really suits you. Right, baka Shinji?" The boy went crimson red again, along with Mana. The redhead resisted laughing out loud. Even Rei had a thin smile.

"Relax! It's just a joke. Anyway, I'm changing out. Ja!" With that, she went into the ladies' changing room, followed by Rei. The couple was now alone again.

"Well, so much for your first day as a pilot," said Shinji wryly.

"It could have been a lot worse," reminded Mana. That was true, thought the boy, and his mind was on the person who had helped the most.

"Arigato, okasan..." said the boy in a soft whisper.

Afterthoughts

-I'm SO sorry about the delay. Laziness, side tracks, Granado Espada...

-RnRs are welcome, as always.


End file.
